DSU Presents its 2013 Faculty Excellence Awards

Delaware State University has named four faculty members as the institution’s 2013 Faculty Excellence Award recipients.

The University has selected the below faculty members in the following categories of Teaching, Research/Creative Activities, University/Community Service and Advising:

Faculty Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Dorothy L. Dillard, associate professor of sociology, is an engaged educator who makes assessment a constant part of her teaching work. She uses her 25 years of evaluation and research experience to assess her teaching efforts as well as the department’s impact on student learning. She has developed and implemented a Writing in the Major course and has worked to improved her University Seminar and Internship courses. She has been involved with other faculty in the development of an integrative assignment involved mass communications and sociology/criminal justice students in the production of a public service announcement.

As the chair of the department’s Assessment Committee, she has been instrumental in developing improved course learning objectives and initiated a pre/post curriculum measure of student learning. Dr. Dillard also serves on the University’s Teaching Effectiveness Committee and Institutional Effectiveness Committee.

Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Activities

Dr. Mingxin Guo, associate professor of soil and water sciences, has attracted almost $1.9 million in research funding as a principal investigator (PI). In total, his involvement in 17 competitive research grants as a PI and a co-PI have total $6.6 million. Dr. Guo has accomplished 13 research projects and has published 20 peer-reviewed scientific papers, book chapters and conference proceedings.

He has supervised 27 undergraduate and graduate students as well as postgraduates in their research projects. His supervision was instrumental in the generation of 18 scientific presentations (of which two won presentation awards) and five published research papers by his students. Dr. Guo is an active member of 12 academic committees and professional societies, serves as an associate editor for three scientific journals and as a reviewer for 10 scientific journals.

Faculty Excellence in University and Community Service

Dr. Anuradha Dujari, professor of education science education, is an institutional role model when it comes to University service. Among the many capacities she has served in outside of her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Dujari served for many years as the Education Department’s personnel chair and search chair, as the chair of its Standard V Committee for NCATE accreditation reaffirmation, as well as a member of the College Curriculum Committee. In service to DSU, she served for two years as the chair of the University’s Promotion & Tenure Committee, as a NASA faculty advisor for pre-service teachers, has mentored many students for Honors Day presentations, and has developed Hindi curricula and teaches it as an adjunct.

She serves as the secretary of the DSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors. Outside of DSU, Dr. Dujari is a member of the Journal of College Science Teaching Advisory Board and has been a reviewer of science projects and essays for the Toshiba Exploravision competition and the DuPont Science Challenge.

Faculty Excellence in Advising

Dr. Dawn Lott, professor of mathematics, has advised a number of department students as well as students involved with the DSU Honors Program, for which she serves as director. Dr. Lott maintains regular contact with all advisees, making sure she knows their individual names and the background about their personalities, experiences and family support. She makes herself available to her students via telephone or email. She researches each student’s academic curriculum and provides mentorship regarding opportunities that are appropriate, as well as recommends support staff on campus when student need assistance beyond her advising capacity. Her rule with advisees are: “If you display proper moral and legal character and you do not have an advocate, I will advocate for you.”

DSU President Harry L. Williams and Provost Alton Thompson joined representatives each college in presenting the awards during a May 30 recognition luncheon on campus. Each recipient received a monetary award of $2,500.